NameCensus.

UK surname

Thornely

In the 1881 census there were 49 people recorded with the Thornely surname, ranking it #26,735 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 91, ranked #32,109, down from #26,735 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Glossop and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Lakeland, South Gloucestershire and Cambridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Thornely is 192 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 85.7%.

1881 census count

49

Ranked #26,735

Modern count

91

2016, ranked #32,109

Peak year

1851

192 bearers

Map years

4

1851 to 1911

Key insights

  • Thornely had 49 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #26,735 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 91 in 2016, ranked #32,109.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 192 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Thornely surname distribution map

The map shows where the Thornely surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Thornely surname density by area, 1911 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Thornely over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 192 #10,756
1861 historical 114 #19,011
1881 historical 49 #26,735
1891 historical 106 #23,105
1901 historical 84 #24,759
1911 historical 132 #19,313
1997 modern 92 #28,079
1998 modern 98 #27,923
1999 modern 98 #28,050
2000 modern 102 #27,425
2001 modern 90 #28,793
2002 modern 87 #29,644
2003 modern 78 #30,654
2004 modern 77 #31,024
2005 modern 72 #31,730
2006 modern 70 #32,240
2007 modern 76 #31,966
2008 modern 78 #32,081
2009 modern 74 #32,835
2010 modern 81 #32,582
2011 modern 89 #31,659
2012 modern 89 #31,934
2013 modern 89 #32,248
2014 modern 86 #32,663
2015 modern 88 #32,421
2016 modern 91 #32,109

Geography

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Where Thornelys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Glossop, Manchester, Mottram-in-Longdendale and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Lakeland, South Gloucestershire, Cambridge, Exeter and Test Valley. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Stockport Cheshire
2 Glossop Derbyshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Mottram-in-Longdendale Lancashire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Lakeland 002 South Lakeland
2 South Gloucestershire 001 South Gloucestershire
3 Cambridge 004 Cambridge
4 Exeter 014 Exeter
5 Test Valley 005 Test Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Thornely

These lists show first names that appear often with the Thornely surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Thornely

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Thornely, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Thornely surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Thornely household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Thornely is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Thornely is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Thornely falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Thornely is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Thornely, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Thornely families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Thornely surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cheshire leads with 17 Thornelys recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.11x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 17 16.11x
Lancashire 17 3.00x
Staffordshire 6 3.72x
Derbyshire 4 5.35x
Surrey 2 0.86x
Sussex 2 2.48x
Lincolnshire 1 1.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hyde in Cheshire leads with 9 Thornelys recorded in 1881 and an index of 289.39x.

Place Total Index
Hyde 9 289.39x
Ellastone 6 12000.00x
Heaton Norris 6 185.76x
Altrincham 4 217.39x
Claughton With Grange 4 833.33x
Toxteth Park 4 20.83x
Reddish 3 384.62x
Ashborne 2 392.16x
Brighton 2 12.30x
Esher 2 606.06x
Gorton 2 37.52x
Birkdale 1 69.93x
Derby St Werburgh 1 23.15x
Liverpool 1 2.90x
Louth 1 57.14x
Mellor 1 500.00x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Thornely surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 6
Sarah 3
Alice 2
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Agnes 1
Annie 1
Blanche 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Jessie 1
Louisa 1
Maggie 1
Margaret 1
Marth 1
Maud 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Thornely surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 4
William 3
Albert 1
Anthony 1
Benjamin 1
Edward 1
F. 1
George 1
Harry 1
Lot 1
Reginald 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Thornely households.

FAQ

Thornely surname: questions and answers

How common was the Thornely surname in 1881?

In 1881, 49 people were recorded with the Thornely surname. That placed it at #26,735 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Thornely surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 91 in 2016. That gives Thornely a modern rank of #32,109.

What does the Thornely map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Thornely bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.